Imaginary | Evanescence (Origin Album)

This song's been playing on and on and on and on and on my mind lately. Don't ask me why. 

Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming

Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights

Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming

The goddess of imaginary light

In my field of paper flowers

And candy clouds of lullaby

I lie inside myself for hours

And watch my purple sky fly over me

I linger in the doorway

Of alarm clock screaming monsters calling my name

Let me stay where the wind will whisper to me

Where the raindrops as they're falling tell a story

If you need to leave the world you live in

Lay your head down and stay a while

Though you may not remember dreaming

Something waits for you to breathe again

In my field of paper flowers

And candy clouds of lullaby

I lie inside myself for hours

And watch my purple sky fly over me

assumptions in marketing

I understand aggressive advertisement strategies like this. I appreciate that at least they don't send messages at midnight or in the wee hours of the morning. But I believe the message itself is laden with flawed assumptions:

- it assumes that dish washing = misis / women. Reality is, singles wash dishes too; males wash dishes too; even children of certain ages are being trained to wash dishes too.

- it assumes that the recipient is a "misis". Reality is, mobile phone users can be males and singles too.

- it assumes that the recipient actually does the dish washing. Reality is, there are people who don't, there are people who can't, and there are people who simply won't.

A good brand need not hinge on stereotypical assumptions. A good brand need not be afraid of looking at their market as diverse. A good brand need not be afraid of finding its niche by communicating with untapped market for the goods or services that it offers.

(originally posted in my FB wall)

Oh, and the number one assumption which a friend mentioned in her comment: it assumed that I am using a bar or paste for dish washing?

when life knocks you down...

Photo grabbed from FB

"Change is coming," bukambibig ng marami. What kind of change we will all see.

Maraming may alinlangan. Maraming skeptic. Maraming takot. Maraming poised na para magbantay ng nega. Maraming hopeful. Maraming walang paki-alam. Maraming mema. Maraming excited. Maraming feeling close. Maraming naging pala-away. Maraming sad. Maraming happy. Maraming wala pa ring love life. Pero meron man o wala, life must go on and we should keep the wheel turning and unravel life's series of changes, challenges, and chances.

Recalling my thoughts sa class address in 2014 sa PMDP: "positive change [- it] is something that emanates from within us..." (http://tinyurl.com/Nihan351). How can we be (or continue to be if we believe in our hearts that we already are) a source of positive change? And when we cannot go with the changes, are we willing to take that leap and take our chances?

[Self talk: Get some sleep. Rest your weary mind. Anywhere you may be, you will be alright. Parang kagat lang ng langgam 'yan (classic na pang-uto sa akin ng mga nurse kapag tinutusok ako ng needle for injection when I was a kid; hindi naman nila sinasabi na langgam na kasing laki ng langaw!).
Ssshhh...Manila Day sa Friday, walang pasok! When life knocks you down, roll over and look at the stars. O kaya, abangan mo si sunshine sa madaling araw; tulog ka kasi nang tulog eh! 😂.]

Roaming the Urban Jungle 1

UberX driver: 8 years ako sa taxi Ma'am bago ako lumipat dito sa Uber.

H: Ah talaga po? Kaya pala alam niyo 'yun daan kahit walang Waze.

UberX driver: Opo. Pero Ma'am iba po talaga sa taxi ang Uber tsaka Grab.

H: Bakit nyo naman po nasabi 'yan? Ano po ang kaibahan para sa inyo?

UberX driver: Naku Ma'am, tingin ko po, ang Uber po tsaka Grab, mas pabor at convenient sa pasahero. Dito po kapag sa amin binato ng Uber ang pasahero kahit saan papunta 'yan kukunin namin kung hindi, bababa ang rating. Tsaka 'yun pasahero po maghihintay na lang pupuntahan siya ng driver; samantalang sa taxi hahabulin mo sa kalye ang taxi tapos kapag malas ka pa, hindi ka isasakay kasi namimili ng pasahero.

H: Oo nga po, minsan pa amoy yosi ang taxi; ang sakit sa ulo!

UberX driver: May mga driver po kasi talaga na naninigarilyo sa sasakyan; dito po bawal sa amin. Tsaka po may mga pasahero na may maamoy lang na konti o kaya may dumi lang sasakyan eh bibigyan na kami ng mababang rating. Kaya po obligado kami linisin talaga lagi.

Question: kaninong kapakanan ba ang dapat pangalagaan ng LTFRB, sa organized trasport groups o sa commuters? Bakit ba kailangan i-regulate in the first place ang public trasportation system -- hindi ba para masiguro ang kaligtasan at kapakanan ng mga manlalakbay? Sana i-require ang mga uupo dyan sa mga ahensyang nagsasa-ayos dapat ng trasport system natin na mag-commute araw-araw using various modes of public transportation, and traversing different routes during peak/rush hours. Isama na rin ang mga nagsasa-ayos dapat ng traffic flow na may tendency na isipin lang talaga eh yun flow ng sasakyan at nalilimutan yata na meron mga commuters sa daan na dapat rin naman isaalang-alang. Hanggat mahirap makipagpatintero araw-araw sa paghahabol ng jeep, uv express, bus, taxi, l/mrt, maraming commuters na maghahangad na humanap ng alternatibo tulad ng Uber at Grab o di kaya ay bumili ng sariling sasakyan kung may kakayahan itong bayaran. Mas mainam na igapang ang pambayad, pang-gas at maintenance ng sasakyan kesa ikaw naman ang gumapang sa hirap sumakay. O tapos sasabihin nyo kaya trapik dahil sa volume ng private na sasakyan?! Palagay nyo trip lang nila magmayabang na may pera pambayad nyan kaya hindi nagko-commute? Marami po dyan hindi rin naman talaga mayaman pero isasakripisyo yun mababawas na pera buwan-buwan kapalit ng ginhawa sa paglalakbay at hindi magmukhang ewan at stressed pagdating sa pupuntahan. Ah oo nga, trapik pa rin..maganda ka nga, late ka naman! Ewan! Don't even get me started with maaga ka kasi dapat para hindi ka mahirapan.. iba ang reality mo sa reality ko, at sa reality ng milyon-milyong Pilipino! Hindi ang lifestyle mo ang pamantayan o modelo sa buong mundo. 

Ano ba ang point ng post ko? Simple lang: tingnan ang mas malaking kabuuan; ang lipunan na binubuo hindi lamang tungkol sa infrastructure at sasakyan kundi ng mga tao; mga tao na hindi rin naman homogenous group dahil may babae, lalaki, bata, matanda, may kapansanan, at iba't-ibang kakayahan; isama pa ang isyu sa kalikasan at marami pang iba. Hindi ko sinasabing magpaka-hero or feeling hero at problemahin mo ang poverty and hunger sa buong mundo; bago ka magmaganda sa buong earth eh unahin mo muna ang sariling bayan mo.

Random Thoughts 1 s. 2016

• That rare moment when you find yourself teary-eyed while traveling alone onboard a PUV, for reason you don't exactly know of -- ganun pala 'yun -- nakaka-inis na ewan.
• I feel frustrated over a lot of injustices that I notice. Sa totoo lang, nakakapagod magsalita at mag-advocate ng empowerment kung nakikita, naririnig at nararamdaman mo personally 'yun opposite nito. 
• 'Yun ma-judge ng ibang tao kahit hindi ka naman libro, at kahit na kakarampot lang naman ang alam nila sa pagkatao mo? Sanay na ako dyan. Sa totoo lang, nakamadismaya rin minsan; lalo na kung wala naman talagang basehan. 
• Hindi ako saint. Hanggat maaari ayaw ko ng confrontation, pero napapagod rin ako na intindihin ang mga taong sarado utak at walang naririnig kung hindi sarili nila. I don't want to be arrogant and boss around pero may tinatawag naman na umaabuso na -- 'wag mo kong gawing doormat, 'wag mong ibintang sa akin ang kung ano ang actual mong ginagawa sa akin, at 'wag kang masanay na maging arogante sa akin. Mind you, when I keep quiet it means I am keeping myself from shattering all your delusions of brilliance and might with what I might utter out of exasperation. I want to act like a civilized human being but there is always what we call the end of the rope.
• Minsan naiisip ko kung paano kaya kung naging selfish na lang ako sa maraming bagay? 
• There is that empty feeling when someone dear to you suddenly acts as if you don't exist at all. 
• Power and fame -- some people will do anything to wield and grab both at whatever cost.
• Salamat kay Kung Fu Panda -- for reminding me that in the midst or all the chaos in this world and on my mind, all I have to do is to take time to breathe, calm down, and find that inner peace. #

Somewhere in between...

Somewhere in between wishing and deciding, I stopped. I hate myself for my inability to move.

Somewhere in between being awake and dozing off to sleep, I dreamed. I often wonder why it happened to be you.

Somewhere in between holding on and moving on, I felt tired. I want to rest, but my heart beats so fast that I had to move around.

Somewhere in between here and there, I felt distance. It is saddest to feel distance borne of silence; even more sinister than honest rejection.

Somewhere in between the top of my head and my lips, tears begin to fall. I hate you for being the reason for this.

Somewhere in between silent sobs and a heavy heart, I whispered your name. I hope that this will be the first and the last that I will do the same.

Somewhere in between you and me, I felt love. I wanted you to have it but right now, I need it more than you do. 

Somewhere in between the mountains and seas, I sent a word as I close my eyes. I know it will reach you, somehow... goodbye.

Of New Years and New Beginnings

24 posts for 2015, with a long entry complete with photos on the 1st of January. Today's the 3rd and here I am, still unsure of what to write for my first post of the year. I have no plans of making a list of resolutions for the new year -- I am not good at following through resolutions anyway. I used to dread inventing writing rehashing writing such back in grade school for English and Filipino subjects.

2015 has been bitter and sweet for me.

Bitter because of frustrations and challenges. Ito 'yun taon na I had people around na mas pinili pa talagang i-rub-off ang kulang sa akin kesa sa kung ano ang meron at ano ang posible at pwedeng gawan ng paraan. There I said it in the open -- oo, disappointed, insulted, and offended ako, and if not for two major obligations that I have to fulfill, I would have called it quits. Yes, I could have fought for it pero I chose not to; useless battle lang kasi at ayaw ko na ma-drain kung ano pa ang natitira kong energy at faith in humanity. Ito rin 'yun taon na ang dami kong tanong which were left unanswered. I also realized that there are many things on earth which are not what they seem to be, and that finding balance is difficult in the midst of competition. Mas gusto ko kasi 'yun ginagawa ko lang ang dapat at kailangan gawin; masaya na ako sa ganun, hindi ko talaga trip sa buhay ang competition at paghahangan ng award. Pero ito ang harsh reality sa mundong ibabaw -- we are pushed to compete, if not for merits, it is for survival. Hindi naman ako ganun ka-naive na ngayon ko lang napagtanto 'yan -- masyado ko lang damang-dama 'yan ngayon sa iba't-ibang aspects ng life ko.

Pero kahit na maraming dahilan ng bitterness sa buhay, I still choose to revel on its sweet side. On a more positive note, marami rin naman akong natawid na pagsubok sa life. Nagpapasalamat pa rin ako dahil may mga taong nagtiwala at sumuporta. Thankful ako sa mga tao na nagbigay ng ngiti sa aking mga labi at ligaya sa aking puso. Masaya at hopeful dahil may chance ulit na balikan ang aking second love -- ang pagsulat (science and technology talaga kasi ang first love ko, pero na-frustrate ako dahil kakambal niya ang mathematics!). Natuwa sa mga byahe; sa mga lugar at adventure na first time ko napuntahan at nasubukan. Marami rin mabubuting bagay at balita sa mga taong malapit sa akin -- mula sa materyal na bagay at promotion sa trabaho, hanggang sa aspetong spiritual at pag-ibig -- I am genuinely joyful for all of them; nakaka-inspire at nakaka-renew ng hope in humanity.

As for 2016, we'll see...